The last day to register to vote in the upcoming March 1 primary is Monday, Jan. 31 -- if you need to check your registration status or register to vote, details are below.
The March primary will be used to select party nominations for statewide office in November for the following seven seats: governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, land commissioner, agriculture commissioner, comptroller, and one of three seats on the Texas Railroad Commission.
Voters will also decide which Republicans and Democrats will face off Tuesday, Nov. 8 for state and U.S. congressional and legislative offices, the State Board of Education, and judicial seats including three seats on the Texas Supreme Court.
When voting, voters will be asked which ticket they want to vote on, Republican or Democrat, and they'll only be allowed to vote in that party's primary. Voters can only vote in one primary during each election cycle.
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Check Voter Registration Status/Register to Vote
If you're unsure of your current voter status, you can check your voter registration status on the Texas Secretary of State's website on the "Am I Registered?" page. If you have moved to a new address within the same county or have changed your name, you can update your information online as well.
Unregistered people who wish to vote will need to have completed their registration by Monday, Jan. 31. There are a number of ways to register to vote in Texas:
- On the Texas Secretary of State's online voter registration page, you can fill out and then print and sign your registration form. You MUST still mail the form to your county election office and it must be postmarked by the Jan. 31 deadline.
- If you don't have a printer you can request an application be mailed to you, but that returned application must also be postmarked by the Jan. 31 deadline.
- You can also register to vote through your county registrar.
Texas Requires ID to Vote
Once you're registered, you'll still need a valid ID to vote in the state of Texas. The state accepts seven forms of identification:
- A Texas driver's license
- Texas election ID certificate
- Texas ID card
- Texas handgun license
- U.S. Citizenship certificate with a photo
- U.S. Military ID with a photo
- U.S. Passport.
For voters ages 18-69, photo IDs CAN be expired for up to four years. For those over the age of 70, a photo ID can be expired for any length of time.
If you do not have a photo ID, you may qualify for a Reasonable Impediment Declaration by showing a copy or an original of one of the following:
- Certified domestic birth certificate or court admissible birth document
- Current utility bill
- Bank statement
- Government check
- Paycheck
- Government document with your name and address including your voter registration certificate.
Upcoming Election Info
Early voting for the upcoming March primary election begins Monday, Feb. 14, and runs through Friday, Feb. 25. The last day to apply for a ballot by mail (received, not postmarked) is Friday, Feb. 18. Mail-in ballots must be received by March 1, if not postmarked, or by March 3 if postmarked by 7 p.m. on March 1.
Voters with questions about how to cast a ballot in the upcoming March primary election can call 1-800-252-VOTE or visit VoteTexas.gov for more information.
The next election after the March primary is scheduled for May 7. If you miss registering to vote in the March primary, the last day to register to vote in the May election is April 7. Early voting in the May election runs from April 25 to May 3.
